Ignition system for internal-combustion engines



Mar. 13, 1923. 1,448,535.

' A. HEDIN.

- IGNITION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINESv FILED SEPT. 20. mI.

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Patented Mar. 13, 1923.

UNITED STATES ANTON HEDIN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IGNITION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed September 20, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTON Hnmx, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful In provements in Ignition Systems for In ternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in the ignition systems of internal combustion engines.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved wireless distributor for such systems for conducting the ignition current to the spark plugs of the engine.

Another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this character with a view of eliminating complicated and multiple wiring and reducing to a minimum the liability to trouble owing to short circuiting of wires, loose connections and similar faults.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a distributor which may be readily installed on engines now in use without altering their construction and without interfering in any way with the operating parts thereof. I

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of an internal combus-. tion engine equipped with the improvement. Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof. Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section on line 33, Fig. 2. Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse section on line 14., Fig. 2. Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section on line 55, Fig. 3.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several news.

For the purpose of illustrating the application of my improvement, the same is shown in connection with a typical fourcylinder automobile engine 10 having the customary spark plugs 11.

Rotatably mounted lengthwise above the head of the engine and adjacent to the spark plugs thereof is the improved wireless distributor which preferably consists of an inner conducting member 12 of steel or similar material and an outer insulating member 13 of fiber or other appropriate material. These members are preferably of tubular form and are concentrically arranged one within the other to rotate in unison, said insulating member extending Serial No. 501,871.

from end to end of said conducting member so as to completely enclose and insulate it from adjacent parts of the engine; Extending from the rear end of the conducting member 12 is a journal 14 which is supported in a suitable bearing 15 secured to the dash-board 16 of the automobile or other adjacent part, while a driving shaft 17 extends from the opposite or front end of the'insulating member 13 and is journaled in a bearing bracket 18 suitably secured to the engine. The rear end of the shaft may be connected with the opposing end of the insulating member by means of a set screw 19. Attached to the front end of said shaft is a sprocket wheel 20 which may be operatively connected with the engine in any suitable manner to rotate the distributor at the proper speed to obtain the sparking at the plugs at the proper intervals in the cycle of operations of the engine. By way of example, this sprocket wheel is shown connected by a sprocket chain 21 with a sprocket wheel 22 mounted on the fan shaft 23 of the engine.

Arranged on the periphery of the conducting member 12 are a plurality of contacts 24:, one for each spark plug, which extend through corresponding openings 25 in the insulating member 13, said contacts projecting slightly beyond the exterior surface of said insulating member, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. These contacts may be secured to the conducting member by welding or otherwise. The distributing members 12, 13 are preferably disposed at one side of the spark plugs 11 which are provided near their upper ends with contact rings 26. The latter are substantially in horizontal alinement with the axis of said members 12, 13 and a small air space or spark gap 27 is left between the peripheries of the contact rings and the contacts 24, as shown in Fig. 4. It will be understood that said contacts 2% are disposed in such a manner on the conducting member that the spark plugs are brought into action progressively as the firing order of the engine dictates.

locating the distributing members 12, 13 at one side of the spark plugs, they permit the latter to be readily removed without in any way interfering with them.

The ignition current may be obtained from any suitable source; for example, from a magneto 28 of the type secured to the fly.

her both of said contact men'ibers being wheel and forming a part of the motor. T he current is delivered from the magneto contact by a wire 30 to a. spark coil 31 where it is transformed from l-o'w'to high tension. T he high tension current from the secondary wii'iding of the spark coil is conveyed to the inner distributor member 12 by means of a wire 32 and brush 33 which bears against the journal M of said member.

:iny suitable means may be employed for making and breaking the ignition circuit at the proper intervals in the cycle of opera-. tions of the engine and. also for varyin the timing of the spark. The preferred means for accomplishing these results, however, preferably comprise a. circuit breaker casing 24 i mounted for oscillatory movement on the shaft 17 of the distributor, stationary contact member 3.5, and a movable contact memarranged within said casing. The movable contact member is actuated by a follower or plunger 87 suitably guided in the using and bearing at its lower end against a cam portion 38 on the shaft 17 and at its upper end against said movable contact member. spring 39 tends constal'itly to hold the latter out of enga cut with the stationary contact member 35, while said cam acts to arise its follower and cause the movable contactmemberto engage its companion stationary member. This circuit breaker is included in the ignition circuit and is connected by a wire lOwit-h the primary winding of thespark coil 31. The casing 34 may be provided with a depending arm ll for oscillating it, suitable connections (not shown) being provided for controlling it from the drivers seat.

The shaft bearing 18 may be provided with a hinged cap -12 to facilitate assembling and dismembering of the distributor.

in the operation of this device, as the distributor-l2, 13 is rotated, its contacts are successively moved opposite the corresponding contact rings of the spark plugs ll, whereby a spark is produced across the gap between these parts which causes a similar spark at the electrodes in the lower end of the respective plug. hen it is: desired to advance or retard the spark, the circuitbreaker casing is rockedin one direction or the other in an obvious manner.

This improved wireless distributor is very compact in construction, reliable and efficient in operation, and by eliminating the complicated system of wiring used at the present time, ignition troubles are reduced to a minimum. liurthermore, the single conducting member 12 of the distributor is wholly insulated from the engine and adjacent parts of the automobile except at the exposed contact points 2% which are arranged in the path of the respective spark plugs of the en gine, thereby lessening the danger of fire.

I claim as my invention:

The combination with the ignition system of an internal combustion engine liaring spark plugs and an ignition circuit, of a rotatable wireless distributor included in said circuit and mounted adjacent to the spark plugs, a. driving shaft for said distributor, and a circuit-breaker including a casing containing make and break devices, included in the ignition circuit, casing being mounted directly on said shaft and movable relatively thereto for varying the time of the spark.

2. The combination with the ignition sys tem of an internal combustion engine having spark plugs and an ignition circuit, of a rotatable wireless distribute-r included in said circuit and mounted adjacent to the spark plugs, said distributor comprising a currentconducting member having a journal at one end, a bearing for said journal, an insulating member. surrounding said current-conducting member, portions of the latter being exposed through said insulating member to coact directly with said spark plugs at predetermined intervals in the cycle of operations of the engine and a driving shaft opratively conncted to said insulating member the end thereof opposite to the journal of the conducting member.

3. The combination with the ignition system of an internal combustion engine having spark plugs and an ignition circuit, of a rotatable wireless distributor included in said circuit and mounted adjacent to the spark plugs, said distributor comprising a current-conducting member having a journal at one end, a bearing for said journal, an insulating member surrounding said current-conducting member, aortions of the latter being exposed through said insulating member to coact with said spark plugs, a driving shaft operatively connected to'said insulating member, and a circuit-breaker mounted on said shaft and included in the ignition circuit, said circuit-breaker being movable relatively to said shaft'for varying the time of the spark.

ANTON HEDIN. 

